Harry Potter: Nostalgia

             Recently I finished reading Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows (Book 7 of the Harry Potter series) by J.K. Rowling.  I was left with a bittersweet feeling.  It is the same feeling I had the first time I completed the final Harry Potter novel.  It was hard to believe it’s really over, and all I felt like doing was restarting the series all over again.

            While reading the epilogue I could tell this was one of J.K. Rowling’s earlier writings.  It resembled the writings of The Sorcerer’s Stone (Book 1) and The Chamber of Secrets (Book 2).  It seemed a bit more amateurish than the writings in her later novels.  There’s a sense of whimsy and childishness in her writing in The Sorcerer’s Stone.  Of course that could be because of the content. 

            The Sorcerer’s Stone is all about an eleven year old wizard discovering a whole new world, discovering his true destiny.  Along with Harry we journey into Hogwarts and learn about all the magic within it.  What I found most surprising is while re-reading The Sorcerer’s Stone, not once did I feel bored.  It was just as engaging as the first time I read it.  Full credit to J.K. Rowling for creating such a work.  Even though I knew of the dark turns Harry’s life would take in the future, I still couldn’t help but wonder along with Harry.

            Reading the first novel made me realize all over again what makes Harry Potter such a wonderful series.  No matter how many times I read it, I discover something new along with Harry.  The world J.K. Rowling created might be fantasy, but the emotions the characters go through are very real.  This is why it has connected with millions of readers across many generations.